David’s Heavy Trial
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56:3
), was the language of his heart. Though he could not discern a
way out of the difficulty God would teach him what to do.
Sending for Abiathar the priest, “David inquired of the Lord, say-
ing, If I pursue after this troup, shall I overtake them?” The answer
was, “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and shalt without
fail recover all.”
David and his soldiers at once set out in pursuit of their fleeing foe.
So rapid was their march that two hundred of the band were compelled
by exhaustion to remain behind. But David with the remaining four
hundred pressed forward.
Advancing, they came upon an Egyptian slave, apparently about to
perish from weariness and hunger. Upon receiving food and drink he
revived. He had been left to die by the invading force. Having exacted
a promise that he should not be slain or delivered to his master, he
consented to lead David to the camp of their enemies.
As they came in sight of the encampment a scene of revelry met
their gaze. The victorious host were “spread abroad upon all the
earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil
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that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the
land of Judah.” An immediate attack was ordered. The Amalekites
were surprised and thrown into confusion. The battle was continued
until nearly the entire host was slain. “David recovered all that the
Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And
there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons
nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them:
David recovered all.”
But for the restraining power of God, the Amalekites would have
destroyed the people of Ziklag. They decided to spare the captives,
desiring to heighten the triumph by leading home a large number of
prisoners to sell as slaves. Thus, unwittingly, they fulfilled God’s
purpose, keeping the prisoners to be restored to their husbands and
fathers.
God Is Ever at Work to Counteract Evil
With great rejoicing the victors took up their homeward march.
The more selfish and unruly of the four hundred urged that those who
had had no part in the battle should not share the spoils. But David